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Electoral history of Jesse Helms

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The electoral history of Jesse Helms begins with his election to Raleigh City Council. However, most of the elections in which he was involved were to the United States Senate. Five consecutive victories gave Jesse Helms a thirty-year Senate career.

Raleigh City Council

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United States Senate

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1972 election

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1972 North Carolina U.S. Senate Republican primary election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms 92,496 60.13 N/A
Republican James Johnson 45,303 29.45 N/A
Republican William Booe 16,032 10.42 N/A
Turnout 153,831
1972 North Carolina U.S. Senate election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms 795,247 54.01 +9.61
Democratic Nick Galifianakis 677,293 45.99 −9.60
Turnout 1,472,540

1978 election

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Helms won the Republican Party's nomination unopposed.

1978 North Carolina U.S. Senate election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms (incumbent) 619,151 54.51 +0.50
Democratic John Ingram 516,663 45.49 −0.50
Turnout 1,135,814

1984 election

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1984 North Carolina U.S. Senate Republican primary election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms (incumbent) 134,675 90.65 N/A
Republican George Wimbish 13,799 9.35 N/A
Turnout 148,574
1984 North Carolina U.S. Senate election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms (incumbent) 1,156,768 51.66 −2.85
Democratic Jim Hunt 1,070,488 47.81 +2.32
Libertarian Bobby Emory 9,302 0.42 N/A
Socialist Workers Kate Daher 2,493 0.11 N/A
Turnout 2,239,051

1990 election

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1990 North Carolina U.S. Senate Republican primary election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms (incumbent) 157,345 84.32 −6.33
Republican L. C. Nixon 15,355 8.23 N/A
Republican George Wimbish 13,895 7.45 −1.90
Turnout 186,595
1990 North Carolina U.S. Senate election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms (incumbent) 1,089,012 52.58 +0.92
Democratic Harvey Gantt 981,573 47.39 −0.42
Socialist Workers Rich Stuart 681 0.03 −0.08
Turnout 2,071,266

1996 election

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Helms won the Republican Party's nomination unopposed.

1996 North Carolina U.S. Senate election[1]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jesse Helms (incumbent) 1,436,638 55.89 +3.31
Democratic Harvey Gantt 1,097,053 42.68 −4.71
Libertarian Ray Ubinger 25,396 0.99 N/A
Natural Law Victor Pardo 11,209 0.44 N/A
Turnout 2,570,439

Vice President of the United States

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Helms ran for the Republican Party's nomination for Vice President a number of times. However, he always withdrew his nomination before the party national convention. Nonetheless, two 'Draft Helms' movements have led to him winning a number of unsolicited delegates at the convention, placing him second (in a one-horse race) both times.

1976 Republican National Convention

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1976 Republican National Convention nomination for Vice President
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Bob Dole 1,921 89.10
Republican Jesse Helms 103 4.78 N/A
Republican Ronald Reagan 27 1.25
Republican Others 105 4.87 N/A
Turnout 2,156

1980 Republican National Convention

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1980 Republican National Convention nomination for Vice President
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican George H. W. Bush 1,832 93.33 +93.29
Republican Jesse Helms 54 2.75 −2.03
Republican Jack Kemp 42 2.14 N/A
Republican Others 35 1.78 N/A
Turnout 1,963

Footnotes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "North Carolina DataNet #46" (PDF). University of North Carolina. April 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2009-06-12.